


Quiet Night In

by RedGold



Series: For Outlaw [3]
Category: Timeless (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Flynn is Hopeless, Iris is Adorable, Lorena is Devious, Lucy knows what she wants, adults having adult conversations, finally these two idiots get it, garcy, gratuitous domestic fluff, is that even allowed?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 21:07:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21555526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedGold/pseuds/RedGold
Summary: Rittenhouse is at it again, but Lucy, Flynn, and Rufus are forced to stay behind. This means Jiya, Wyatt, Mason, and Lorena have to go to 1927 and stop Rittenhouse's latest scheme. The others can only sit and wait for their return.As Iris' birthday looms close, thoughts of family and relationships are brought to the surface and must be addressed.
Relationships: Garcia Flynn & Lorena Flynn, Garcia Flynn/Lucy Preston
Series: For Outlaw [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1543627
Comments: 11
Kudos: 41





	Quiet Night In

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SecretNerdPrincess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecretNerdPrincess/gifts).



**Quiet Night In**

Flynn was in the old gym where the Lifeboat was currently sitting quietly. Rittenhouse hadn’t done anything in several weeks, moreso than usual, so everyone had started to worry a bit. Was this a good or bad thing?

After they rescued Rufus from the void of death, they moved into a defunct boarding school that was owned by the state. The gym was the right size to hold the Lifeboat and there was a lot more space, rooms for everyone. It certainly helped moral that they weren’t basically living on top of each other. If someone wanted a quiet minute to themselves just to be alone, then they could. 

But saving Rufus meant that Rittenhouse had doubled down on their efforts. They weren’t very happy with the team always ruining their plans, which had gotten more elaborate. They went back to Ancient Rome to, well, they don’t really know what that was about, but Lucy, Lorena, Jiya and Christopher took care of it. And then there was the trip to 16th Century England in order to increase the group’s funding. Thanks to Mason’s financial savvy, they put a squash to that. 

So Rittenhouse going quiet… yeah, that worried them.

“I’ve run the numbers, twice,” Rufus said as he sat at the computer, Jiya by his side. “I don’t think Rittenhouse has managed to unlink the Lifeboat and Mothership systems.” 

“You think?” Christopher raised her brow.

“Pretty sure,” he shrugged. “When Mason gets here, he can confirm it for me.”

“Where is he, anyway?” she asked.

“Last I saw him, he and Lorena were sitting up in the kitchen last night talking about the National Insurance Building,” Jiya answered. “They were debating if it should be considered the first skyscraper or not.”

“The building Wyatt fell off of?” Christopher asked, then shook her head. “Nevermind. Rufus, go get him.”

Rufus got that same shrug in his shoulders as Iris would when she was told she had to clean her room or else she wasn’t allowed to watch her favorite show. He started to stand but was rescued by Mason coming through the doors in a bit of a rush.

“Apologies,” he said as he took the open seat at the computers. 

“Late night?” Rufus said with a grin.

“What good is an early one?” he bantered back easily. 

“This is kind of important,” Christopher said dryly. “Rittenhouse does want to subjugate the world.”

“Yes, of course,” Mason talked as he tapped away at the computers. “We just lost track of time. Won’t happen again.”

Christopher sighed as if she doubted that, but Mason was here now, they had more important things to work on.

Mason glanced back at Flynn as if to apologize for any possible indiscretion he might have committed. But Flynn just gave him an encouraging smirk. He already told the man that he didn’t mind if he spent time with Lorena, nor what they did in that time. She was her own woman and could do whatever she wanted with whomever she wanted. 

But should he tell him about… nah, let him figure that one out for himself, just as he had.

Once Mason had confirmed the systems were indeed still linked, they looked for any possible bends in time and space that might signal there being another time machine out there. Not finding any of those, they decided that Rittenhouse was quiet because they were sitting back and taking a moment to regroup. This was both good and bad. 

Good because it meant they were disrupting Rittenhouse enough that they had to rethink their strategies. 

Bad because that meant Rittenhouse was going to come back to the field swinging.

They broke up and Flynn decided he should have a chat with his sorta-kinda-ex-wife. 

“Hey,” she said as he entered the laundry room. She was putting her and Iris’ clothes into the dryer. 

“Hey.” He leaned on a table holding all the supplies. “Lost track of time, huh?”

Lorena stopped and glanced at him sideways as if she was a cat considering pouncing on a bird. 

“Lorena,” he said as he tried to suppress a chuckle. “The only thing you’ve ever legitimately lost track of was the state of Wisconsin.”

“You swore you’d never bring that up.” She pouted, but there was laughter in her eyes.

He smiled at her knowingly. “You never, ever, lose track of time.”

“Busted,” she held out the vowel and then laughed at herself. “You didn’t tattle on me, did you?”

“Nah,” he chuckled. “Mason’s a smart man, he’ll figure it out eventually.”

Flynn would never use the word manipulative to describe Lorena because it had too much of a negative connotation. But she was not above being devious when it came to things she wanted, either for herself or others. She used it on him when she saw that he was horribly unable to ask her out, even though he really wanted to. And of course, she conveniently lost track of time with him until he came wise to that, not that it stopped them from continuing to lose track of time together.

Of course, it also worked in reverse. If Lorena didn’t want to, say, spend all night at a neighborhood association meeting, then you bet she kept everyone to their allotted speaking time.

So if she was losing track of time, “You really do like him, don’t you.”

“Yeah,” she said, the laughter softening in her eyes to something he hadn’t seen since before she... since before he dragged her and Iris into the bunker. “Connor, he… he makes me feel like you used to.”

Lorena wasn’t one to apologize for her feelings, but she did worry about his own. He could see her searching him for any pain she may have just inflicted on him. But Flynn didn’t feel pain… he felt… peace.

“Lorena.” Flynn stood and walked towards her, taking her hands. “You don’t need my permission, or my blessing, or anything else, to do whatever makes you happy. But for what little it matters, I like Mason. He’s a good guy, smarter than I ever was, you’ll find no animosity between us.”

“You’re smarter than you have ever given yourself credit for,” she tsked at him, “but that’s a conversation for another day. I’m more worried about me throwing my happiness in your face. I know we’re over and that’s for the best, but after you went through so much to save us—”

“That’s why I saved you,” he squeezed her hands. “I want you, and Iris, to live, and enjoy life. It doesn’t hurt me. It… makes me know that it’s all been worth it, everything.”

“Oh, Garcia,” Lorena sighed and wrapped her arms around him, giving him a strong hug. He held her and basked in the tangible feeling of her being alive. She whispered, “You’re allowed to be happy too, you know.”

“One day, I promise.” He sealed it with a kiss to the top of her head. 

“I’ll hold you to that,” she said as she pulled back. 

“I know you will.” Flynn let out a little laugh. “I still remember New York.”

“Art Deco is my kryptonite, you know that!” She play-punched him.

They had a good laugh that filled their smiles and their hearts. Back before Rittenhouse irrevocably changed their lives, such a moment might turn romantic, that tug between them leading to at least one firmly applied kiss. That feeling was gone now, replaced by the kind of nostalgia reserved for things that you’re glad you experienced, but had moved on from.

“Oh!” Lorena’s eyes lit up with a thought. “Iris’s birthday is in two weeks. It will be the first one in the bunker.”

For him, the first one since she died…

“I want to have a party for her,” Lorena continued. “Try to keep things as normal as possible.”

“That’s a great idea.” He was all for it. “How are you going to pull it off though?”

“You know me, Garcia, I always have a plan.” She grinned at him like he was missing the joke.

…

Lucy was just as worried as everyone else that Rittenhouse wasn’t making any moves. She would not allow herself, or the team, to be lulled into a false sense of security. Unfortunately, this meant thinking like Rittenhouse. Where would they strike next? What would do the most good for them and the most damage to the Team?

She needed more coffee for this.

Walking into the kitchen, she found Lorena there, preparing to start dinner. Moral had certainly gone up now that they were having actual meals and not whatever could be microwaved without stinking up the bunker. Lorena was happy to do it, it gave her a purpose in the bunker, plus she would do it for Iris anyway. But occasionally someone would offer to cook so she wasn’t always doing it. 

Flynn, it turned out, was a very good cook himself. She wasn’t sure why that surprised her.

“Oh, hey, Lucy,” Lorena called over as Lucy started to make another pot of coffee. “Can you come here a second?”

“Sure,” she said, setting the coffee to make. “Do you need a hand?”

“Yes, but not with this.” Lorena was cutting up some sweet potatoes. “Iris’ birthday is next week. We’re going to have a party. Nothing huge, obviously, but cake, ice cream, presents, etc.”

“That’s sounds great.” Lucy thought about it for a second and realized the party would be good for everyone in the bunker. They really should have more parties, celebrations, things to remind themselves why they are fighting.

“I asked Denise to help with the presents, for Iris,” Lorena continued talking while dicing up the last of the sweet potatoes. “Garcia and I did some online shopping, but had it sent to her house. She’ll bring them once they all come in. I was hoping I could hide them in your room.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, I didn’t think about having them pre-wrapped and I’m not going to ask Denise to ferry them and wrap them.” Lorena picked up the cutting board and slid the diced potatoes into a pot of boiling water. “I can’t hide them in my room, or Garcia’s, or Rufus and Jiya’s because she plays video games in there all the time.” 

Lucy chuckled, clearly remembering the day when Rufus walked past her in the hall, mumbling that of course Flynn’s kid would have a better accuracy score and higher kill count than he did at Call of Duty.

“I’m definitely not asking Delta Force,” Lorena continued, “and while I could put them in Connor’s room… not sure we’re in that point of our relationship where we want to discuss whatever… kid’s presents might bring up.”

“Ah, gotcha.” Lucy nodded, getting that loud and clear. “I’ll be happy to hide them. Do you want help wrapping them?”

“I think Garcia and I got that, but thank you.” Lorena smiled and it was genuine. 

Lucy wondered how much the woman knew about her feelings for Flynn. Some days she thought Lorena was oblivious. Other days it was clear Lorena could see right down to the nanoliter just how much Lucy loved Flynn. It was most likely something in between. She never seemed to hold it against her, though. 

Well, the woman did know what it was like to be in love with Garcia Flynn.

“I hope you all don’t mind that we’re having curry again tonight,” Lorena said as she started to walk towards the fridge. “I know we’ve already had it twice this week.”

“To be fair,” Lucy said honestly as she went back to the coffee maker, “we’re all just happy to have real food that doesn’t taste like the carboard it was cooked on.”

Lorena laughed as she grabbed the chicken and a few other things. “It’s just one of the few things I’m really good at cooking, because I love spicy food. Granted, it’s still white-person spicy, but Denise said my Laal Maas was a solid B+ so I’ll take it.”

“I remember that.” Lucy nodded, thinking back. “Denise said it was kinda weak while Wyatt was completely red and about died.”

“I warned him, he didn’t listen.” Lorena simply shrugged and put all her supplies on the counter. “You know, that was the same night I realized I really liked Connor.”

“Oh?” Lucy was curious about their relationship, but she wasn’t the kind to gossip. If Lorena was volunteering information, then she wasn’t going to stop her.

“Yeah, he asked for seconds.” Lorena laughed and looked over at her. “I could wax poetic about all the things that I require in a partner such as empathy, intelligence, a strength of character… but I think it really just boils down to if they like spicy food and have an accent.”

Lucy let out a bark of laughter then quickly covered her mouth. 

“It’s true!” Lorena was grinning wide. “On Garcia and I’s first date, he took me to a Thai place. He ordered the Tom Yum Goong, and when the waiter asked him if he wanted the mild version, he said ‘that would defeat the point.’ I immediately kissed him once the waiter left. It was our first kiss, actually.” 

Lucy felt an irrational pang of jealously. Of course they had kissed, they were married and had a child together.

“Clearly I have a type,” Lorena laughed at herself. “But at least Connor isn’t as hopeless as Garcia.”

“Hopeless?” Lucy asked, a frown forming.

“We knew each other for six months before that date,” Lorena explained, sighing in a nostalgic way. “There was clearly an attraction. We would hang out, talk, do all the ‘not quite a date’ stuff. I thought he’d ask me out after that first month, he didn’t. Then at the second month I thought maybe I’d been imagining it, he just wanted to be friends. Then I realized, nope, he… he kept psyching himself out, doubting himself.” Lorena looked up at her with a soft and sad expression. “Garcia has a bad tendency to believe himself not worthy, to self-sacrifice. You’ve seen it.”

“Yeah, yeah I have,” Lucy said knowingly. 

“He’ll never be the one to make the first move,” Lorena continued, turning back to the counter. “Connor on the other hand…” she trailed off and chuckled at herself.

The coffee maker clicked off, a fresh pot made. Lucy couldn’t help her curiosity as she poured herself a new cup. “I think Flynn mentioned you tricked him into that first date?”

“Yes,” she replied with no shame. “All I did was not give him the chance to psych himself out. Once we got over that hurdle, everything else came naturally.”

Lucy pondered that as Rufus and Connor came into the kitchen, debating something that sounded suspiciously like math.

“Lorena,” Connor called out to her. “Please explain to this young man that a logarithmic spiral is far more interesting and important than a Euclidean space.”

“Seriously?” Rufus was shaking his head. “We wouldn’t have time travel without Euclidean space.”

“We wouldn’t have a universe without a logarithmic spiral,” Connor countered, then once again turned to his sorta-girlfriend. “Lorena, tell him.”

The woman looked between both of them with a very serious expression. “I’m a structural engineer. If it’s not a triangle, then I don’t want to hear about it.”

“See!” Rufus immediately said. “Euclidean space!”

“That’s not what she said!”

Lucy grabbed her coffee and walked out of the kitchen before her head started to hurt from trying to follow the conversation. She glanced out the hallway window to the grassed over courtyard behind the abandoned school. Flynn, Iris, and Jiya were out there playing soccer. It looked like Iris and Jiya against the taller Flynn.

They all looked so happy, it brought a smile to her face. This… is why they kept fighting.

…

The jump alarm sounded and everyone made their way to the old gym where the Lifeboat was kept. Flynn was a bit annoyed. Iris’ birthday was in two days. If Rittenhouse made him miss his daughter’s birthday… the first in years that he could celebrate without having to get blind drunk…

“This is the first jump in weeks,” Lucy was saying as he entered the room. Everyone was there except Agent Christopher who was at her house, getting the presents they had ordered for Iris. It wasn’t like they could have had them delivered to the abandoned school.

“They went to May 19th, 1927…” Rufus trailed off, tapping at the computer. “Looks like… Saudi Arabia.”

“Jeddah, Saudi Arabia?” Lucy asked, that light in her eyes telling him she was already a few steps ahead now.

“Uh, yeah.” Rufus confirmed. “Rittenhouse after oil?”

“May 20th, 1927, is when the Treaty of Jeddah was signed,” Lucy started to explain. “Saudi Arabia didn’t exist yet. The land was separate kingdoms and providences that gained independence after the Ottoman Empire collapsed after World War I.”

“The British actually recruited the Arabs to fight against the Ottomans,” Wyatt added. The man did know his military history. 

Lucy nodded, then continued. “The whole area was ruled by different tribes. One ruler, Ibn Saʿūd, started taking over whole kingdoms. The Treaty of Jeddah was the British accepting Ibn Saʿūd’s sovereignty, and him promising to stop attacking neighboring British protectorates. This led to the creation of Saudi Arabia in September 1932, as a consolidation of those kingdoms.”

“And petroleum was discovered there in 1938,” Lorena said, and everyone looked at her. “Well, I mean, they knew there was oil there since at least 1902, but it wasn’t until the Dammam No. 7 well struck oil that they realized just how much.”

“How do you know that?” Wyatt asked and Flynn would have slapped him upside the head if he was close enough. Flynn… had a type… and being highly intelligent was definitely a major part of his type.

“You know refineries and process skids don’t build themselves, right?” Lorena gave him a very unimpressed look. “It takes a legion of different kinds of engineers, including structural, because if it was left to the chemical engineers to design the racks, ladders, and layouts, it would look like an M.C. Escher painting.”

Mason, Rufus, and Jiya all made a sound that could be roughly translated to ‘ain’t that the truth.’

“I’ve done work all throughout that region,” Lorena continued. “It’s how Garcia and I met.”

“That’s good to know,” Lucy said, “because you’re going to have to sub in for me.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“May 19th, 1927…” Lucy said the date slowly, “that’s two days before Lindenberg lands in Paris.”

“Lands? I thought he crashed?” Lorena looked between them and their expressions. “Oh.”

“We don’t know how long it will take to stop Rittenhouse’s plan,” Lucy continued. “The Treaty is signed the next day, that might be when they strike. We can’t risk crossing our own timelines. That means Flynn, Rufus, and I, will have to stay behind.”

Lucy was right, of course she was. Flynn had shot down Lindberg and used Lucy to get some information out of him. Rufus had been the pilot, and Dave Baumgardner was their muscle. Wyatt didn’t steal the Lifeboat in this timeline, but he had chased after Jess, trying to repair his relationship, only so he could break it again. He wasn’t able to get back in time, so Dave went. At least Wyatt was able to talk to Dave and give him some pointers, like bringing a modern gun.

Apparently, Karl had killed him in the previous timeline. Flynn missed Karl, he was handy to have around.

“I guess I’m the pilot.” Jiya stood from where she’d been sitting next to Rufus. Technically it was his turn.

“I’ll go too,” Mason said as there was a fourth seat open. “I have had my fair share of dealings with the Saudi government. I’m sure I can supplement Lorena’s knowledge of the area.”

Flynn wondered if Mason actually just wanted to go on a time travelling adventure with his girlfriend. Not that he could blame the man. And Lorena seemed to appreciate the thought.

“Alright,” Wyatt said, “let’s get moving.”

There was a bustling around as they got the Lifeboat ready. Rufus kissing Jiya and telling her to be safe, be a badass, but be safe while being a badass. Lorena went and gave Iris a hug, telling her she’s be back before her party, she promised. Flynn showed his love to Lorena by handing her a 9mm handgun with two extra magazines.

“I hope you don’t have to use that,” he said as she slipped it behind her back. 

“Me too,” she replied with some weight to her voice. “If something goes wrong and I don’t make it back…”

“You will,” he said with utmost certainty. 

She looked like she was going to argue, but she accepted his decree with a small smile. They already had this discussion. What to do if one of them died, or in her case, died again. It was all about what was best for Iris. It was a hard decision for a parent to make, choosing between protecting their child or stopping a great evil. 

So far, Flynn had managed to do both, but barely.

“Lorena,” Lucy said as she walked up, knowing she was interrupting a moment between them, but it was important. “Odds are, Rittenhouse is after oil rights or something of that ilk, but they’ve been quiet for a while, we can’t rule anything out.” Lucy handed her a small tablet. “I downloaded some historical texts on the region in case you need them. You’ll also want to make contact with Sir Gilbert Clayton. He was the British special envoy who negotiated the treaty.”

“This will be helpful, thanks,” Lorena said appreciatively. “I’ll try not to lose it. Don’t want to confuse any archeologist out there.”

“Or give those Ancient Alien hacks something to work with,” Lucy snorted.

“Seriously,” Lorena was in total agreement. “It is so racist to think ancient peoples couldn’t develop sophisticated building techniques. And, of course they all built similar buildings, uh, hello, the triangle is nature’s perfect shape.”

“Logarithmic spiral,” Mason called out from the hatch of the Lifeboat.

Lorena gave him a look that could only be described as ‘you’re lucky you’re cute.’ She then glanced between Lucy and Flynn as if she had a thought. “Lucy, since we don’t know how long this will take, do you mind if I take you up on that offer and ask you to help Garcia wrap Iris’ presents once Denise brings them in?”

“Of course.” Lucy nodded. 

“Thank you,” Lorena smiled and Flynn knew that smile. Before he could question the devious nature of it, Lorena had turned and was walking up the ladder into the Lifeboat. 

As the time machine disappeared, he couldn’t help the slight worry that tugged on him. He knew that Lorena would return and Iris wouldn’t lose her mother. But on the off chance that something did happen to her, Flynn would find a way to bring her back again. He would do anything to secure the happiness of the people he loved.

“Now… we wait,” Lucy said, letting out a long breath.

“Yup,” Rufus replied, already used to being left behind when Jiya took her turn as the pilot.

“I’ll go make some coffee.” Lucy smiled at him then left for the kitchen.

Flynn watched her go… yes, he would do anything for the people he loved, even if it meant sacrificing his own happiness to make sure they never had to suffer again.

…

They talked Rufus into distracting Iris. While the two played video games, Denise brought in the presents and put them Lucy’s room. Flynn and Lucy then sat down to the task of wrapping them. Literally, they were sitting on the floor in her room with delivery boxes, wrapping paper, and toys littered about.

Denise did stop and pick up some pre-decorated boxes for the clothes. Lucy only had to snip off the tags and carefully fold them up. Flynn was tackling the Lego sets, wrapping them in dinosaur paper. 

“This is adorable,” Lucy said, holding up one of the shirts. The writing said ‘And she lived happily ever after…’ with a silhouette of a girl leading her horse.

Flynn chuckled. “That was the one drawback about living in the suburbs. We would take Iris to a horse ranch several times a year. It wasn’t the same as having our own horses, but Iris loved it.”

“Well, maybe when this is all over, you can find a place, away from the city,” Lucy offered as she folded the shirt. 

“Maybe,” he said, his smile dropping a bit. “It really depends on where Lorena wants to go. Now that she knows they died in that house, she doesn’t really want to go back to it.”

“That’s understandable.” Lucy nodded and grabbed the next shirt from the shipment box. “But she seems pretty keen for you to stay in Iris’ life. I’m sure you can work something out.”

“That is true,” he gave her an optimistic smile. 

Lucy continued to fold the shirts, boxing three together in sets. By the time she was finished and ready to help with the other toys, something weighed heavy on her that she usually was able to ignore. It was a peek into her future when she would rather avoid it and stay in the present.

“You okay?” Flynn asked her and her head snapped up. The man could read her like a book… and in some ways, he literally had.

“I’m…” she let out a long breath. She could say she was fine, but he’d know she would be lying. “I always kind of struggled with the idea of having kids. Between mom being sick, and fighting for tenure… I didn’t not want kids, but I figured it would be something that would happen if the right person came along.”

Flynn simply looked at her with those damned understanding eyes, and she knew he was listening to her. He’d listen and speak only when she needed him too.

“And now…” So much weight poured down on top of her. “Knowing that I am one of the last, if not _the_ last remaining decedent of David Rittenhouse…”

“Legacy isn’t carried in blood or DNA,” Flynn told her softly. “It’s carried in thoughts and ideals. And you, Lucy Preston, do not have the thoughts or ideals of a Rittenhouse, or a Cahill.”

Lucy couldn’t describe just how much relief his words gave her. To know that maybe, just maybe, she could start a family if she chose to. Not because her mother wanted Rittenhouse heirs. Not because society tried to tell her that her worth was equal to her baby making abilities. But so that she could… do this. 

Raise a child to be thoughtful, kind, and independent. To follow their dreams, even if it was to be in a band… or an accountant… or a dragon hunter. She marveled at the way Flynn just smiled at Iris when she said that she wanted to be one or the other. He encouraged her, letting her know that either way, it was going involve a lot of math. Dragon hoards usually have a lot of money that needs to be counted. 

No doubt, in a few months, Iris would move on to something else. Flynn and Lorena allowing Iris to poke around to see what fit, what really sparked her imagination. 

The only reason Lucy’s mother let her stay in the Glee Club in high school was because it would look good on her college entrance exams. But Lucy was expected to ignore such frivolous pursuits once she got in. Higher learning was meant for learning, not playing around. 

“Lucy,” he said her name softly and she realized she had been staring down—staring through—the kid’s geology set in her hands. “You’re nothing like your mother.”

“She loved me,” Lucy defended her because she had to believe… believe that under that domineering Rittenhouse façade there was a woman who did love her. Who chose to keep her out of Rittenhouse for as long as she could, trying to protect her in her own way. It wasn’t the right way, but the only way she knew how.

“But you’re still not her,” he repeated in his gentle voice. “If you decide to have a child, or two or three, you’d make a good mother. I know it.”

“Thank you.” Hearing that from Flynn, a parent who put themselves through hell and back to save their daughter… if he thought she could do it. “Thank you.”

He smiled at her, a little nod of his head. They then got back to work, Lucy busying herself by grabbing the other roll of wrapping paper. She got the kit wrapped up and moved onto the next. If she had been talking to almost anyone else about this, she might be worried that they would look at her less. A woman, angsting over wanting children, because ovaries, of course.

But she knew Flynn wouldn’t see it that way. He’d see it for what it was. A woman who can’t make a single decision in her life without the ever present, oppressive shadow of Rittenhouse hanging over her head. That was the legacy she inherited. 

And whether she decided to have children or not… it was going to stop with her.

…

Lunchtime came and still no word about how the team was doing. They checked the historical record and nothing jumped out as being a clear sign that time travelers had gotten involved. Seeing as the team could be there for a few days, they weren’t going to worry… yet.

Flynn cooked up some stew from leftovers, Iris helping him. Lucy didn’t mean to watch, she had only come in for a bottle of water. But she became mesmerized by the domestic nature of the scene. Flynn looked happier, lighter… the man she knew he was finally able to be on display for everyone to see. 

Most days, food was more of a buffet than a sit-down meal. Sure, sometimes groups would gather, eating while discussing something either serious or mundane. That’s what happened today. Flynn sat down with Iris, Rufus made himself a seat next to them. He was discussing some movies, making light, but Lucy could tell he was missing Jiya and trying to fill the quiet.

Lucy never really thought about that before. She almost always went on the missions. And when she didn’t, like when she was sick, well, she was too out of it to care. But Rufus and Jiya switching back and forth, knowing that the other one could come back different, or not at all. It was for the best, tactically speaking, but everything has a cost.

“We can hook up the PS4 to the projector in the gym,” Rufus said as he was finishing his bowl of stew. “Wanna watch _Into the Spider-Verse_ on a big screen, lil’ Flynn?”

Iris’ eyes lit up. “Oh, please, _tata_! Can I? _Molim!_ ”

Usually, Iris would go back to her studies after lunch. They all helped out when they could. What was the point of having four engineers, a professor, and a serial polyglot in the bunker if they couldn’t use their knowledge for more than just trying to fight Rittenhouse.

“Sure,” Flynn said with a smile. 

A few minutes later and the two were making their way to the gym as Lucy helped Flynn to clean up. 

“Trying to keep Iris’ mind off the fact her mother is on a mission?” Lucy asked as she ran the bowls under hot water. There was only four of them, no need to fill a whole sink.

“That obvious?” Flynn sounded a little tired. He was packaging the leftover stew for later.

“Obvious, yes, but I didn’t mean any reproach by it,” she shut off the faucet and put the last bowl on the drying rack. “This… sitting and waiting… it’s… not fun.” Selfishly she was glad that Flynn had to stay behind with her. She was starting to fully realize what Lorena meant by not being able to lose him again. To not want the feel the weight of that fear every time he left on a mission. “I don’t know how Rufus and Jiya do it.”

“Oh, that’s simple,” Flynn said as he headed to towards the fridge, pausing at the door. “They know there is no timeline where they don’t love each other.”

He was right, of course. It didn’t seem to matter what they did to the timeline. People erased, brought back, killed, misplaced… Rufus and Jiya always found each other, always fell in love.

Flynn put the leftover stew away and then there was nothing but quiet in the large space. He glanced over at her and smiled, that little upturn of the corner of his lips that she wondered if he even noticed he was doing. 

“Did you, ah, finish _Circe_?” Lucy fumbled out. He had got her the book to read when she was sick. Then he confessed he hadn’t read it, but he had thoroughly enjoyed _The Song of Achilles_. He had faith in the authoress to deliver. She loaned him the book a few days ago when she found this out.

“Almost,” he admitted. “Got sidetracked with the birthday stuff. Probably another hour read time left.”

“Oh, okay.” 

“I was thinking about finishing it now,” he said, awkwardly. “I’d love to discuss it with you when I’m done.”

“I’d love to,” she tried not to sound too eager. “Um, I need to do some laundry anyway. So, ah, meet you back here in an hour?”

“It’s a date,” he replied and then not-so-smoothly added, “time and place.”

“Yes, yes it is.” Lucy was equally as smooth. Especially when she turned and made for the door, wondering if she could just brain herself on the brick on the way out.

Lucy made it back to her room and proceeded to face plant on her bed. 

Yes, Flynn and Lorena were decidedly not a couple anymore. Flynn was, technically, on the open market. But this did not automatically translate to Flynn being interested in starting any kind of romantic relationship right now, let alone with her. 

The man just got his family back. Finally stopped waking up in the middle of the night, having to check that Iris was still there. He was going to celebrate his daughter’s birth after her being dead for five years. And there was still Rittenhouse to stop. Flynn had a hell of a lot on his plate right now.

He didn’t need her trying to complicate things. He may not even want her in that way. He wanted a friend, someone to talk to, hang out with…

Lucy’s head popped up, her eyes wide. “Holy shit, that’s what Lorena was trying to say.”

…

And hour and twenty minutes later, Lucy was sitting at the table in the kitchen. A cup of tea was steaming in front of her, a digital copy of _Circe_ on a tablet, opened to one of her favorite sections. Flynn had yet to arrive.

 _“He’ll never be the one to make the first move,”_ Lorena had told her. The attraction had been there, but Flynn always ended up psyching himself out. Could that be what was happening here?

No one knew Flynn better than Lucy… except maybe Lorena. His ex-wife definitely knew him better when it came to this aspect of his life. She had the experience. But why not just come out and tell Lucy that Flynn liked her in that way?

Lucy mentally slapped herself. If Lorena, or anyone, had done that, she’d tell them they were crazy and further retreat from the possibility of him wanting to have a romantic relationship with her. 

She still couldn’t quite believe it. Was Lorena reading him wrong? She hadn’t seen him in five years. Could Lorena be pushing some wishful thinking to assuage herself of a guilt for finding her own happiness with Mason?

So many what-if’s… could’s and maybe’s.

There was only one thing for it… research and examination of the facts. That was what she was trained to do. She just needed to look at the situation from a bit of a more neutral position. 

Although, it was hard to maintain a neutral position when Flynn walked around like he’s a GQ model. Haberdashery really was his superpower.

“Hey, sorry,” Flynn said as he walked into the kitchen, still wearing his jeans and burgundy turtleneck from earlier, book in hand. “I got waylaid. Iris decided she wanted kettle popcorn.”

“You didn’t make some for us?” Lucy asked teasingly as he sat down across from her. 

“I… can,” he offered.

“Maybe later.” Lucy smiled at him, and this time she didn’t hold anything back. Didn’t try to clamp down on the feelings that bubbled up inside her. Feelings she thought would be unwelcome to the man.

“Okay.” Flynn swallowed, cleared his throat, and started flipping through the book as if he was trying to distract himself. “I’ll, uh, have to warn you. I’ve read the Odyssey in five different languages. Including the original Greek.”

Lucy blinked. “Wait, you know Ancient Greek?”

Flynn looked sheepishly guilty. “Not exactly. Lorena had a side-by-side copy of it as part of her studies to learn Greek, and Latin and Hebrew. I did learn some, but I don’t consider it a known language like she can.”

“What are you considering some?” Lucy asked with a raised brow.

“Just a few sayings…” He smiled, and in his rich Croatian accent, he looked into her eyes and said, “Με γλυκιά, διστακτική, ερωτική καθυστέρηση.”

“What does it mean?” she said a little quieter than she would have liked.

“With sweet, reluctant, amorous delay,” he matched her voice.

It was Lucy’s turn to swallow hard and clear her throat. “That’s regarding Calypso, right?”

“Yes,” he licked his lips. “She keeps him on her island for seven years. And even though it’s sweet and amorous… in his heart, he wants to go home.”

“To his wife…”

“To the one he truly loves,” he gently corrects her. “She just happened to be his wife.”

Lucy couldn’t help but stare into his eyes. “It takes him years, but he gets there.”

“Yeah… he does.”

Infinite quiet stretched out between them. 

Flynn was the one to break. Clearing his throat and sitting up straighter. “But this isn’t about him. This is about Circe.”

“Yes, Circe,” Lucy agreed, waking her tablet back up. 

For the first few minutes he wouldn’t let her catch his eyes. What was he hiding in them? And just how was Lucy going to drag it out of him…

…

Before they realized it, it was time for dinner. Flynn offered to cook again. It was a convenient way to distance himself from Lucy. Not that he actually wanted to put distance between them, but he needed to before he said or did something stupid. And by stupid he meant profess his love for her.

It seemed like that was harder and harder to do these days. But he needed to remain stalwart. Lucy didn’t need more complications in her life.

Trying to decide what to do for dinner, he nixed reheating the stew. No, that was going to come in handy as a warm, late-night snack. He had a feeling he wouldn’t get much sleep tonight if the team hadn’t returned by then. So he recruited Iris to help him make chicken salad with garlic breadsticks. 

Rufus had found his way to loiter around, watching as Iris chopped up the carrots under Flynn’s watchful eye. “Lil’ Flynn has knife skills. I’m not sure why that surprises me.”

“That’s all Lorena,” Flynn said as he took the pan of chicken off the burner and shoved the whole thing into the oven to finish off. “She grew up on a farm. I may be a better shot, but she’s better with a knife.” Flynn smirked. “She’s personally castrated three bulls.”

Rufus had just picked up one of the carrots and was going to bite into it. Instead he stopped, looked at Flynn with a blank face, and said, “Man, why you gotta be like that?”

Flynn took the carrot from him. “Don’t spoil your dinner.”

Lucy walked in, a heavy tome in hand. She looked between the two men and frowned. “Am I missing something?”

“Yeah,” Rufus snorted. “Apparently I need to tell Mason to keep all knives away from Lorena.”

“If he hasn’t figured that out already then there is no hope for him.” Flynn started to gather the chopped vegetables and put them in a large bowl to be mixed.

“Finished,” Iris said, cutting the last carrot.

“Good job.” He smiled down at her. “Now, what do we do with the knife?” 

“Put it in the sink as long as it’s not full of water,” she answered with a smile of equal measure. “And don’t stab anyone on the way there.”

Flynn leveled his gaze at her.

“By holding it point down,” Iris added as if reciting the capitals of California, Oregon, and Washington.

Iris put the knife in the sink, Rufus giving her a wide berth by pretending he was interested in the book that Lucy was holding.

“I checked the history again,” Lucy said, showing the book title to be a history of the Middle East. “Still no indication that the team, or Rittenhouse, got involved in the treaty signing.”

“In my experience, that’s usually good news,” Rufus said with a relieved smile.

Dinner finished, they once again sat around the table and ate. Christopher came by and checked on them but left soon after. She was working on some intel gained from their captured sleeper. If she was able to get a location, then this time she was using a full task force instead of just sending in Wyatt by himself. 

When they were done and cleaned up their mess, Iris talked them into playing Yahtzee. It was good game to help her with her math skills, plus she loved rattling the dice around in the cup. After a few rounds of fun, it got to be Iris’ bedtime. 

Not wanting to break up her routine, Flynn had Iris go through the motions of getting ready for bed, like brushing her teeth. Clad in her koala pajamas, she snuggled up beside Flynn on her bed so she could read the book in his hand as he read it out loud to her. They were on the last book of the _Kane Chronicles_ , so it was fortuitous that the _Magnus Chase _books were currently wrapped up, hidden away in Lucy’s room.__

__Eventually Iris fell asleep, turning into the proverbial sack of bricks. Flynn got her comfortable and tucked in. Then he kissed her on the forehead and just sat on the edge of the bed for a moment. Five years… five years without his beautiful flower in his life. But if that was what it took to make sure she lived a long and happy life, then he would gladly pay it._ _

____

…

Flynn dressed in a light t-shirt and sleep pants, even crawled into bed, but he had been right, there was no way he was going to sleep that night. Between worrying that Iris could lose her mother, that they could lose Mason—or, heaven forbid, Jiya—and him being helpless to stop Rittenhouse in whatever their latest scheme was… yeah, no sleep.

He checked on Iris who was out like a light. Then he went into the kitchen and made himself some herbal tea. A wander around the bunker led him into the gym where the Lifeboat usually sat. He flopped down on the sofa and grabbed the PS4 remote. Rufus still had it set up to a projector that shone on the clear white wall. 

Every possible streaming service was available because Rufus and/or Jiya had hacked into all of them. This made choosing something a bit difficult as he had literally everything to choose from. He… he wanted something that wouldn’t set heavy on his heart. Scanning through, he found himself landing on _The Princess Bride_.

“I love that movie,” Lucy said behind him and he nearly jumped. How comfortable did he have to be with her to not notice her sneak up on him? “I know everyone would expect me to want to be Buttercup, but I… I wanted to be the grandfather… the narrator.”

“That…” Flynn thought about it for a moment as she came around the sofa. “That sounds about right.”

Lucy was wearing her floral pajamas, apparently unable to sleep as well. She took the other side of the sofa, sitting down and tucking her feet under herself. “The grandfather, I always thought of him as the descendent of Wesley and Buttercup. The keeper of their story. Keeping their love alive and passing it down to the next generation.”

“It’s a truly eternal love…” Flynn said softly. 

“On a truly epic scale.” Lucy smiled, the lights of the projector deepening the expression. “Their love will last forever, so long as the story keeps being told.”

“So it will.” He licked his lips, wondering if he should stay or flee. Instead he found himself saying, “I know everyone said I looked like the Dread Pirate Roberts when we came back from Warwick… but I was definitely more of an Inigo Montoya.”

“I can see that,” she said without judgement.

“I know the movie came out in ’87, but,” he let out a deep breath, “but I didn’t see it until years later, after the War had started. Technically I was too young to fight, and lord knows my mother didn’t want me to, but…” he rubbed his hand down his face. “My _tata_ was a good man. Never rose his voice, never rose his hand, unless he was giving someone a hand up. But when things escalated, and people started dying… he tried to help the victims and died for his efforts.”

Lucy didn’t say she was sorry, she knew he had heard that word so many times he almost didn’t want to hear it ever again. Instead, she reached over and took his hand, letting him know she was there, she always there for him, to lift him up or anchor him down.

“So, yeah,” Flynn said after he got his voice back. “Inigo’s quest… it hit a little close to home.”

“We can watch something else,” Lucy offered.

Flynn considered it, but then pressed play. “It’s like you said, love lasts forever, so long as the story keeps being told.”

They sat and watched the film, and by the time Inigo and the Dread Pirate Roberts were dueling on the clifftop, the heaviness was truly lifted off his heart. They let themselves laugh and quote the dialogue. Lucy admitted she tried to look up Florin and Guilder in her mother’s history books, but she was ten at the time so don’t laugh. Flynn admitted he had no idea what the Bishop was saying the first few times he watched it, yet somehow that made it even funnier.

By the time the credits rolled, Lucy had made her way across the sofa and was snuggled up against him. He could have easily put his arm around her, and he had to make conscious effort not to. 

“Ah, Lucy?”

“Mhmm?”

“Um.” Words. He knows them. He can usually string enough together to be understood by others. “Comfortable?”

“Yeah, I am,” she said with a lightness to her voice, like maybe she was falling asleep. “Could be more comfortable though.”

Lucy nudged him slightly, enough for him to get the hint and move his arm so she could snuggle against his chest. There really weren’t many options for his arm, so he grabbed the back of the sofa so he wouldn’t accidentally touch her anywhere down her side and hip that would be inappropriate. Also, he had no idea how they came to be in this position, nor what it meant, or what he should interpret from it, or, oh, hey, “Have you seen _The Emperor’s New Groove_?”

“Ah… maybe?”

The animated movie was on the watch list two over from _The Princess Bride_. “It’s really good, one of Iris’ favorites.” And a kid’s movie, not a romantic one either, just good fun, and totally off topic of any topics that might be currently crossing his mind. That way he didn’t do something to embarrass himself once Lucy woke up and came to her senses.

“Okay, let’s watch it,” Lucy said, not moving.

Flynn pressed play and tried to focus on the story, and not on Lucy. But about twenty minutes in, it became clear Lucy had fallen asleep on him. He became torn with indecision. Does he move and jostle her awake, which might embarrass her? Did he try to be really gentle and move out from under her? Of course, if he did that, did he leave her on the sofa, tucked in a blanket, or try carrying her back to her room without waking her?

He closed his eyes for a moment to just think… and promptly found himself asleep…

…

Lucy was warm, except for her legs and feet. This is because her legs and feet were sticking off to the side while her torso, arms, and head were resting against something warm, and solid, and breathing.

Her eyes fluttered open and she remembered exactly where she was.

Glancing around, she saw a clock and it said 5:08 am. Rufus and Iris would still be asleep, and Denise wouldn’t be by until later. It was just her and Flynn, snuggled together on the sofa. She looked up at him and he had fallen asleep, his head lulled slightly to the side and she winced at the possible crick in his neck he’d have when he woke up. 

Lorena had been right, Flynn was hopeless. Lucy could see how he kept twitching, like he wanted to reach out for her but stopped himself. Upon further review of their history, he had done that, a lot. She hadn’t noticed because… because she had been just as hopeless. 

She loved Flynn. She wanted him to be happy. She just never thought that happiness could be found with her. Because…

Because her heart was so battered and bruised and misused… who would want it?

But working with Flynn, being around Flynn… it always made her feel strong. Not because he was weak, but because he trusted her, supported her, and had faith in her. He… loved her…

She must have jostled too much as Flynn roughly cleared his throat as he opened his eyes and blinked away the sleep. He too seemed to need a moment to remember where he was, and how she came to be snuggled up against him. 

He looked down at her, his early-morning-addled brain unable to hide the truth that came unbidden to his features. A want and a desire so easily read across the corners of his eyes. He licked his lips as he so maddingly did. Then there it was, the psyche out. He cleared his throat and shifted so she would have to sit up properly. 

“Uh,” he managed to utter as he stood. “I should go check on Iris.”

Iris was fine, but it was a fact she was unable to call him out on given his history with losing her once before. He made a hasty retreat, nearly tripping over some cables, and a chair, and a table.

Lucy flopped back down on the sofa, running her hands over her face. This… this was good. Flynn was definitely interested in her, romantically, but, as just proven, he would not bring himself to act on that. What was holding him back? Did he not think she was interested? Was he punishing himself because of Amy, even though she told him she had forgiven him, it was an accident, and they would find a way to bring her back, just like Iris and Lorena…

Oh…

Even though she had no more feelings for Wyatt, that whole incident was still painful to think about. It was a wound that was scabbed over and healing nicely, but still hurt like hell if poked or prodded at.

But Lorena was not Jessica, and Flynn certainly wasn’t Wyatt. 

The incoming jump alarm sounded. Lucy could feel the subtle change in the air as space and time started to warp and bend. Normally she was inside the Lifeboat when this happened, so it was a feeling that she hadn’t quite gotten used to. Within seconds, the Lifeboat appeared and Lucy grabbed the stairs to pull it over. 

She really hoped everyone walked off the Lifeboat alive and well. 

Her fears were unfounded as her friends all emerged looking as if they just stepped off the set of _The Mummy_. The good version with Brendan Frasier and Rachel Weisz. 

Lorena exited the Lifeboat first, looking like Evie from the beginning of the movie. Long straight skirt, blouse with scarf, and even a sun hat. Mason followed wearing more traditional Arabic male clothing. He definitely fell somewhere between Lawrence of Arabia and Ardeth Bay. Wyatt was covered in sand, as if he had rolled down a sand dune, but he was definitely cosplaying O’Connell. Jiya was the last one out and her clothes were last half of the movie Evie. Traditional Arabic female garb but worn to Jiya’s specific fashion sense.

But most importantly, they were all smiling.

“Mission a success?” Lucy asked, hopeful. She knew that she couldn’t trust her own memories as she’d remember the new events. She could only hope that the new events mostly matched the original.

“I think it went bloody well,” Mason said with a laugh as he stood _really_ close to Lorena.

“I concur.” Lorena stifled her own laugh. “Delta Force learned a valuable lesson about the Middle Eas. One he should have already known.”

“What should you have already known?” Lucy looked at Wyatt, confused.

“Camels are mean,” is all he said and started to walk off, and was he limping?

The gym doors opened up and Iris, still clad in her pj’s, came running in, Flynn and Rufus behind her. Iris ran to her mother who kneeled down and gave her a big hug. 

“Missed you, _Koala_ ,” Lorena said as she ruffled her hair. “Told you I’d be back for your birthday.”

Rufus walked up to Jiya and kissed her soundly. “Please, don’t ever leave me alone with these people again.”

“Awww.” Jiya patted him as if to say ‘poor baby.’

Flynn let out an annoying huff. “You mention cattle castration once.”

“Oh?” Lorena said as she stood, looking at Rufus, smirking. “It’s actually fairly simple, you take the kn—”

“No,” Rufus said rather firmly to her and Flynn. He then took Jiya’s hand. “We’re going back to bed and I’m forgetting this day ever happened.”

Everyone got a chuckled out of that as the couple left. Lorena then decided they needed to put Iris back to bed too, it was still early. Flynn followed and Lucy got the impression he was trying to avoid her for the moment. 

Well, he couldn’t avoid her forever.

She just needed to get him over that first hurdle then everything else would, hopefully, come naturally.

…

After everyone got in some rest, a shower, and into proper clothes, the day carried on like usual. Mason filled them in on what Rittenhouse’s plan had been. They were indeed after mineral rights. Had they succeeded in gaining control of about one-fifth of the world’s oil reserves… it wasn’t something they wanted to think about.

Lucy was glad they were able to stop it, but now her mind started to race. What were other intersecting points in history that Rittenhouse could go after? They obviously hoped to avoid the team by going to a time they had already been. She was going to have to reexamine all of their previous trips to see what may also have been happening around the same time in other parts of the world.

But not today.

Today she had a much more personal puzzle to solve. How was she going to get over that first hurdle with Flynn? She thought snuggling up to him might have given him a clue but… hopeless. Even kissing him might not work, though she was willing to try it as a Hail Mary if what she was about to do next didn’t work.

Flynn was in the laundry room, putting his clothes in the washer. Someone had already done a load and the dryer was close to the end of its cycle. 

He looked up at her when she walked in. “Ah, I haven’t put the detergent in if you need to use this.”

“Oh, I’m good, thanks,” she told him. “I was looking for you, actually.”

“What do you need?” he asked as he put in his detergent and started the washer.

Well, here goes something. “I need you.”

“What?” His face did that confused squint and tilt. “You need me to do something?”

Lorena may have used trickery, because that was who she was. Lucy wasn’t Lorena. Lucy had her own way of doing things. There was a stalwart boldness in her that Flynn always drew out. Even when he was at his most intimidating, she wanted to stand up to him, push back.

“I was never afraid,” she told him. “Even when we were enemies, I was never afraid of you. I may not have agreed with you at first, but I’ve always known there was far more to this, to us, than I could see at the time.”

“I never would have hurt you,” he said, his voice almost a plea for her to believe him.

“I know,” she promised. “Truth is, I am the best version of myself when I’m with you. And… I like who I am with you.”

Flynn swallowed hard and licked his lips. Normally she could read him like a book, but she had no idea what was going through his head in that moment. He was probably doing mental gymnastics to tell himself she isn’t saying what he thinks she’s saying. That wouldn’t do.

“With _you_ ,” Lucy reiterated. 

“Why are you telling me this?” his voice was so small, as if both wanting and fearing what might be next. 

“Because I want you to believe me when I tell you… I love you, Garcia Flynn.”

The words hung in the air between them, trapping Flynn so he was forced to acknowledge the truth.

“And I know you love me,” Lucy said firmly, standing her ground to him as she had done so many times before. 

“I… I’m no good for anyone,” he said, and it wasn’t a denial. “I’d just end up hurting you.”

“I don’t believe that.” Lucy took a few steps forward, keeping him from looking away from her. “You said I started all of this, well, I want to see what happens next.”

The dryer beeped out a little tune and it startled the both of them. It had finished its cycle, the clothes now dry and ready to be collected. What looked like Captain Marvel’s logo was visible through the door, so it belonged to either Jiya or Iris. 

Flynn’s eyes were back on her, searching and fearful. 

“All love is a leap of faith,” she told him, “but you have to make that leap.”

Lucy took another step forward, running her hands up the soft fabric of his turtleneck. He smelt enticingly of bergamot and pine… of the chill forest before the snow had settled in. His hand pushed her hair away from her neck so he could cradle her head, pull her closer. She wanted to push forward but he was the one who needed to take that leap, to follow her down into this abyss they had found themselves together in. 

“I do love you, Lucy Preston,” he said right before reverently placing his lips upon hers. 

The kiss was new, yet familiar in a way that science could never hope to explain. They searched each other out and slid together like two puzzle pieces, snug and complete. When they had to come up for air, his eyes shone wide, no longer hiding his feelings for her. 

They both took a moment to simply breathe. This was real. No more assumptions and second guessing. They loved each other and there way no place to go but forward.

The kiss was hungry, yet satisfying in a way that made her toes curl. Flynn grabbed her around her waist, lifting her up to sit on the table next to the washer. As he trailed kisses down her neck, she ran her hands up under his shirt to feel the warm flesh underneath. He settled between her legs and she was so caught up in the long awaited moment that she almost missed hearing the door to the laundry room open.

“Really?” a voice said dryly. 

They paused like two caught teenagers, glancing over to see Lorena standing in the doorway. She was carrying an empty laundry basket in her hands and a very annoyed expression on her face.

“You couldn’t wait until after the party?” Lorena let out a very annoyed huff. “Now we all owe Delta Force fifty bucks.” She glanced at the dryer and back to them. “Eh, I’ll come back later.”

Lorena closed the door behind her, but Lucy and Flynn remained frozen for another ten seconds.

“There was a betting pool?” Lucy wasn’t sure if she was supposed to be surprised or annoyed, or annoyed that she wasn’t surprised. 

“And Wyatt won?” Flynn looked like someone had just poured salt into his coffee. He then glanced at Lucy as if to ask if they wanted to hold off for two days.

Lucy laughed, grabbing him by the belt loops and pulling him closer. “Let him have the win, I think we’ve waited long enough, don’t you?”

Flynn didn’t answer, instead he kissed her, long and slow. They there going to take their time, savor it, not waste a single moment of it. They… were going to make _quite_ the team.

…

By the next morning, Flynn had learned a lot of things. Some of which a gentleman did not discuss in polite company. But what was of interest in this moment was the fact that the specific betting pool Lorena had mentioned came up during the Team’s trip to Saudi Arabia. Apparently, there had been some downtime and the subject of Lucy and Flynn had come up.

Flynn had a good idea why.

“Come in,” Lorena said after he knocked on her door. 

It was just after breakfast and Lorena was gathering all the decorations for Iris’ birthday party which was planned for the late afternoon. Lorena had stored the decorations in her own room because, in her words, there was no surprises for Iris to ruin. He should have realized she had an ulterior motive for putting the presents in Lucy’s.

“How were you going to do it?” Flynn asked her.

“Hhmm?” she said as she checked a sack that looked to have paper plates, napkins, and cups all decorated in Marvel characters.

“Get Lucy and I to wrap the presents,” he answered even though she knew what was talking about.

Lorena glanced over at him, clearly having no shame she was caught. “I was going to recruit our daughter to give me a convenient excuse to be away.” 

“Really?” he had to keep himself from laughing. “You are going to teach Iris some bad habits.”

“You didn’t think so when she tricked Delta Force into eating that habanero,” Lorena pointed out.

“Fair enough.” He bowed his head in concession. “I take it you had more planned?”

“Oh yeah,” Lorena said with a chuckle. “I had this whole thing with the birthday cake, which is why I had Denise get me enough supplies for two cakes… guess now I have to actually make two cakes.”

“I’m sorry we ruined your plans,” he said with a decent amount of sincerity. “And made you all lose the bet.”

“It’s my own fault for underestimating the both of you.” Lorena shook her head and slumped her shoulders, but she seemed okay with it. “I mean, considering how long you two have been skillfully avoiding the fact you were in love, I thought it would have taken more effort to knock sense into you.”

“Were we that obvious?”

Lorena gave him a ‘oh honey’ look. “It was obvious from the first day I got here. I’m sure if you ask Jiya she can give you a better idea of how long you two have been hopelessly circling each other.”

Flynn’s head snapped up as he realized what she just said. “From the first day?”

Her facial expression dropped into neutral. “Yes.”

The first day Lorena and Iris arrived in the bunker was the same day they learned that he, well, his other timeline self, had abandoned them to save them because time travel was real. The next day was when they had their first deep discussion about what this meant for them, as parents to Iris, and as technically still husband and wife. 

He was fully prepared to try to put Lucy behind him and try to make it work if that was what she wanted. But if she knew, right then, that he was in love with Lucy… “Lorena, I never wanted to hurt you. To make you think I just threw away what we had. If you… if…”

“Stop, just, stop, okay?” Lorena’s eyes had glassed up. “Everything I told you, it was the truth. When you… when the other you left me, left me to take care of Iris, on my own, without even a half-assed explanation? I know he had to do it, to make sure Rittenhouse didn’t think they could use us against you. And I forgive you, both of you, because you made the best decision you could out of a lot of shitty ones, and you saved our daughter.” 

Tears started to roll down her cheeks. She wiped them away as she continued. “But I didn’t know that. I just knew you left me, you left _Iris_ , and I was _so angry_.” Some of that anger was still there, a burn mark that could never be erased. “And I stayed angry, for so long, until I realized I could either keep holding onto it, letting it consume me… or I could just let it go, move on. And that’s what I did.”

Flynn vividly remembered her telling him this, it was something he would never forget. He may have saved his family, but they still ended up hurt because of him. Now he was standing in front of her, tears in his eyes, feeling as if he had failed them again.

“What I didn’t tell you…” Lorena took a deep breath, shame creeping its way across her face. “That day, when you and Denise got us out before Emma attacked, and were taking us to the bunker… I was a mess of emotions. Time travel, we were murdered, but you left us to save us, and here you are again, back in our lives. I… I was afraid that you still loved me. I was afraid you wanted to get back together. You know how I know I was afraid?” She crossed her arms and rubbed at her shoulders. “When I saw you interacting with Lucy, looking at her the way you used to look at me, I didn’t feel jealously or territorialism… I just felt… relieved.”

Lorena bowed her head and pressed her hand to her eyes, trying to minimize the tears and hold back a sob. Flynn moved forward and wrapped his arms around her and let her cry into his shirt as he rubbed her back. He should have known her Catholic guilt would have hit her harder than she let on. Not that he had any room to talk. 

“It’s like you said,” he told her, trying to keep his voice from cracking, “Rittenhouse did this. We can’t blame ourselves for the loss of something that was taken from us.”

Lorena pulled back, nodding her head in agreement even as she tried to clear her eyes. “And then God led you to Lucy, and put Connor in my path, someone who actually appreciates my humming.”

Flynn took the dig for what it was, Lorena’s attempt to diffuse her emotions and get back to some form of normalcy. He cheekily replied, “And I have someone who would actually stand and appreciate the art of the Hagia Sophia, and not go on for an hour about how the use of crushed fire burnt stones mixed into the mortar makes the building flexible enough to withstand earthquakes.”

“You say that, yet you obviously listened,” she bantered back, but the air hadn’t completely cleared around them. Lorena lifted her left hand and looked at the wedding ring she still wore. “You know, I kept wearing this because, well, it kept all but the most ardent creeps away, but mostly… habit.”

Flynn hadn’t even thought about her ring, only his own. For the longest time that was all he had left of his family, everything else lost, destroyed, or unattainable. But even now, like her, he wore it out of habit, used to the weight being there.

“Your mother’s ring,” Lorena said as she slid it off her finger. She flipped it around, letting every inch catch the light. Then she held it up to him, pressed between two fingers and her thumb. “You’ll be wanting it back.”

The diamond sparkled even in the low wattage lights of the room. He reached forward and cupped her hand in one of his, while the other took the ring and placed it down into her palm, closing her fingers over it. “I gave it to you. You don’t have to wear it, but I want you to have it, because our love was real, and I wouldn’t trade our time together for anything.”

Lorena gripped the ring in her hand, taking in the weight of his words. She reached forward and hugged him, like two old friends who might not see each other for a while, even if they’d both be celebrating their daughter’s birthday later that day. He kissed the top of her head.

They’d always be friends, and always be family. Rittenhouse could never take that from them.

…

The party was a total success. Iris was hyped up on sugar, loving everything. The team found laughter and smiles they didn’t realize they had misplaced. This was why they were fighting. For every Iris out there, so they could grow up in a better world than what Rittenhouse would make for them.

Flynn and Lucy didn’t bother to hide this newly allowed affection between them. As well as they knew each other, this was still uncharted territory. Intimacy was a multi-layered aspect of life, and this was a level they wanted to thoroughly explore.

“Should I be worried?” Flynn said as Lucy pushed him down to sit on the edge of his bed. “I saw you and Lorena chatting earlier, you were both grinning.”

Lucy put her hands on his shoulders and proceeded to straddle his lap. “Let’s just say, I like my research to be thorough.”

“So, I’m screwed,” he said, accepting his fate. 

“Yes, but in a good way.” Lucy grinned right before kissing him, stealing his breath as she pressed against his body.

Flynn groaned, his hands going to her waist, torn between continuing the delicious motion or flipping her down onto the bed. 

“Shirt,” Lucy commanded between kisses, tugging at the fabric of turtleneck. 

He stopped kissing her just long enough to pull it up and over his head. He tried to go back to kissing Lucy, but she pushed him down to lay on his back as she continued to straddle him.

“Confession time,” she said, looking down on him with her hair falling forward, framing her face, her lips swollen from their kisses. “I would have totally fucked Robert Todd Lincoln had I been given the chance. And Josephine Baker, for that matter.”

Flynn had to think about that for a second. “Houdini.”

Lucy frowned and tilted her head. “Not Ian Fleming?”

“Good looking man,” Flynn admitted, “but I don’t think I wanna know where his dick has been.”

“Yeah, good point.” Lucy frowned as she considered that, but then she said, “Why Houdini?”

“What can I say? I have a type.” He smirked as he looked up at her. “I appreciate it when someone can get the better of me.”

“Oh?” Lucy leaned down, planting her hands on each side of his head so she could hover teasingly close to his body. “Just you wait, Garcia Flynn. Just. You. Wait.”


End file.
